Compliance Review of Panel Training Requirements 2011
Code of Practice Para 3.10 - Training of Panel Members
As part of our ongoing programme of compliance reviews/aspect audits I wrote to all departments on 20th January 2011, asking for evidence of how they were complying with paragraph 3.10 of my Code of Practice:
All selection panel members chosen by the Department must have received, prior to the commencement of the competition, appropriate training on:
- the requirements of this Code of Practice;
- diversity and equality issues;
- current interviewing techniques.
This training must be up to date and undertaken no more than 24 months prior to the commencement of the pertinent appointment competition.
All departments have now responded. I commend DCAL and DRD for developing their own training material on my Code, and hope they will be willing to share it with other departments. Also DETI for supplying actual evidence of what they are doing.
Many departments are using the NICS Centre for Applied Learning to provide training on interviewing. Apparently this training also covers diversity and equality issues.
The Central Appointments Unit of OFMDFM have also issued ‘Guidance for Independent Assessors’ which some departments are supplying to those providing a demonstrable element of independent participation in the assessment of applicants. Para 2.6 CoP .
Some departments have issued advice to staff alerting them to the requirements in para. 3.10.
This is an area we will review in the future to assess how effective such training has been in equipping selection panels with the necessary appropriate and useful skills.
Felicity Huston
5th April 2011.
Audit of Independant Participation 2010
Following the Audit of Independent Participation, the final report is available below detailing the findings and outcome.
The letter below was issued to all Permanant Secretaries on 13th September 2010
Code of Practice Para 2.6 ‘Independent participation in the assessment of applicants’
One of the major changes in my Code of Practice wef from1st February 2010 was the revision of the principles which govern the Code. Departments are now, amongst other things, to ensure:
“All public appointment competitions …include a demonstrable element of independent participation in the assessment of applicants.” Para 2.6
As part of the audit process and to gauge how departments are complying, or planning to comply with this point, we are issuing a questionnaire to all departments. The questionnaire provides departments with the opportunity to demonstrate positive compliance with the Code. The results will be published as appropriate and will inform any future guidance or code amendments.
As the Accounting Officer for Public Appointments the completion of this questionnaire may also help in preparing your annual compliance statement.
I would be grateful if I could have responses to the following, together with the relevant evidence by Monday 11 October 2010.
- What does the department understand by paragraph 2.6 of the Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments?
- Does the department believe it complies fully, or will be able to comply fully with this paragraph?
- What arrangements have been put in place, or will be put in place, to ensure compliance?
- How does the department put this element of the principle of openness and transparency into practice during the appointments process?
- What factors have the department identified which might impair genuine independent participation in the assessment of applicants and how have these been managed?
- What processes and policies have been put in place to ensure independent participation is maintained throughout the process as per the Code?
- If the department has sourced an ‘independent panel member’ or similar to participate in the assessment of applicants, what tests were carried out by the department to confirm that the individual can be judged ‘independent” by generally recognised standards?
Please provide sufficient evidence to support your answers and to enable us to form a view on your compliance, whether already implemented as a result of competitions now running or in the planning stage, with Section 2.6 of the Code.
Yours sincerely
FELICITY HUSTON
Commissioner
The responses received are available to download below.
DARD Response (488KB)
DCAL Response (528KB)
DE Response (385KB)
DEL Response (364KB)
DETI Response (747KB)
DFP Rsponse (339KB)
DHSSPS Response (392KB)
DOE Response (594KB)
DOJ Response (576KB)
DRD Response (283KB)
DSD Response (392KB)
OFMDFM Response (278KB)
DCAL Response (528KB)
DE Response (385KB)
DEL Response (364KB)
DETI Response (747KB)
DFP Rsponse (339KB)
DHSSPS Response (392KB)
DOE Response (594KB)
DOJ Response (576KB)
DRD Response (283KB)
DSD Response (392KB)
OFMDFM Response (278KB)
Due to the generic nature of some of the responses a further letter has issued to some Departments requesting further documentary evidence of independent participation.